<Split Topic> Entrance Music in WWE

[Parties]

One thing that's definitely getting NXT over as a show - and which helped a lot live - is that the entrance music isn't completely horrible and sounds like something that could have been recorded in this century. It helps establish the characters a lot with Banks and Bayley, but also Breeze and Balor. We forget that we've all seen hundreds upon hundreds of Randy Orton entrances.

[El-P]

One thing that's definitely getting NXT over as a show - and which helped a lot live - is that the entrance music isn't completely horrible and sounds like something that could have been recorded in this century.

 

Yep, that struck me as well. It's not always *good*, but it has character a lot of the time. I've seen Emma once and I remember (and enjoy) her theme for instance. The Vaudevillians, Fynn Balor, Tyler Breeze, Sasha, Bailey, all have music that really fit and is memorable.

 

Randy Orton's bland and dated neo-meal stuff in the mid-00's was an integral part of the dullness of the product that carries on to this day on the main product.

 

It was stricking that pretty much all the entrances on TakeOver were much better than anything at the SummerSlam.

[SomethingSavage]

Even Bray's theme? Which came with him from NXT?

How about Seth's? Which started out as his babyface tune in NXT and has now been used for his heel solo run?

And what about Kevin Owens? His theme's the same. Come on now.

 

I mean, yeah. I get the point, and I agree that the entrances are given a more grandiose feel in NXT. Things just feel more polished and customized for the characters. You lose a bit of that luster at the main stage, when these guys are doing video game step-by-step entrances about 90% of the time.

 

But then, if everyone altered their entrance, then things like the New Day wouldn't stand out as being so entertaining and unique when they actually switch things up. Can't have it both ways. You've got to set the rules before you can have the exception.

 

I don't mind the repetitive, monotonous entrances on the weekly TV. I just wish they'd alternate it more when the situation actually calls for it. Bypassing the poses when there's a high stakes match, jumping the bell in heated blood feuds, acting leery towards a stipulation, etc. But they usually only do that sort of stuff AFTER all the robotic entrances and signature mannerisms are adhered to, which is what's silly about it.

 

The entrance music is what it is. I think it's sort of a dated topic now, to be honest - because, like I said, most of the younger guys are keeping their music from NXT anyway.

[Loss]

My biggest problem with the music is that most of it is so rock-centric when it's hip hop, R&B and electronic stuff that charts these days for the most part.

[dawho5]

I do agree that a lot of the NXT themes are very much in tune with the character of the wrestlers. But once they get brought up to the main shows their characters end up being stripped away to nothing and all they will have left is the music. So what does it matter? I think a lot of the music being so similar on the main show is part of the greater design. It doesn't matter who is doing what, it matters that it's happening on Raw, or to a lesser degree Smackdown. Once anyone reaches the main show they will be another name on the midcard merry-go-round, faceless, character-less and without consequence. As long as Vince and Kevin Dunn are in charge anyway.

[Ready_Willing_Gable]

Glad to see someone else point out Orton's utterly revolting theme music. It's very first syllable, or 'pop moment' is whiny mopy shit. Guess it works for the character.

[Parties]

My biggest problem with the music is that most of it is so rock-centric when it's hip hop, R&B and electronic stuff that charts these days for the most part.

 

This. Bray's is fine. Seth's is terrible, but always was. Shield's was better, but a lot of that was the crowd entrance.

 

I don't mind the repetitive, monotonous entrances on the weekly TV. I just wish they'd alternate it more when the situation actually calls for it.

 

Sure: alternation's the point. Only reason I brought this up is that Banks and Bayley seem helped by their apropos entrances. Which itself was something I only thought about after seeing Banks encouraging people to send cover versions of her theme on Twitter and seeing a bunch of fans actually do so. If I have to hear and see them do it the same way for the next ten years, it'll get old. There's a difference between someone like Hogan having an iconic theme that gets nostalgia pops and Kane's stupid theme. To paraphrase Court Bauer on a recent Stone Cold podcast: they've had the same set, TV format, and approach to music since 1997. If the NBA was still using 20 year old sets and playing nothing but Korn during their montages, people would notice.

[MJH]

Listening to Sasha's theme is near-torturous for me, but it works for her character, absolutely. The problem is, how many (modern) pop, r&b, etc. songs are there that would work as an entrance theme for a 6'3" jacked-up tough guy (theoretically)? Rock music is loud, "tough", and dumb; it just fits.

 

Sure, a rapper character can have some rap music, but we've been over the racial stereotyping plenty of times. There's somewhat more variety in the UFC, but the ones that I can actually remember (Ronda, Bisping, Brock) are 35, 20 and 25 years old respectively. I guess you could give Seamus an old Irish folk song like Conor has but he's never been nearly as demographic-targeted.

[Loss]

They did give Neville an electronic track, but of course it sounds like something from the late 90s. And if you look at the entrance music the WWF had in the 1980s, it was far more diverse. It also sounded like a product of the pop culture of the time. "Jive Soul Bro" is basically a parody of "The Message" -- do any entrances sound anything like something by Kanye West?

[MJH]

(Your average 70 year old probably knows Kanye West's music better than I do...)

 

Maybe, as much as anything, it's down to having a certain idea of what wrestling entrance music sounds like. Sure, you can deviate with certain gimmicks (and the late 80s had a far more diverse collection of characters, too, of course), but I can't imagine Randy Orton coming out to dub-step without finding it ridiculous.

[Loss]

Entrance music tends to be evergreen most of the time in WWE, and I get that even if I don't entirely agree with it. So with existing acts, unless they are doing some major gimmick makeover, there's probably no reason to change anything, because even if the music sucks, it's usually become synonymous with the wrestler. With new acts coming in, you kinda hope the themes are going to sound fresh.

 

I always thought it was funny that Batista was into high-end fashion and techno music, and he had that horrid nu-metal track, but if Batista returns, it's probably pointless to change it. He's established.

[MJH]

It's all about the image too, of course: techno music is hardly the most masculine first impression. Similarly, I mostly listen to classical music, but I know that if a guy comes out to some, generally speaking, the audience are far more likely to take him/her as a snob (see HHH) than anything else. Maybe that was the thinking behind giving Bryan a rockier version of Ride of the Valkyries rather than a full orchestral version?

[Loss]

Is the techno fear the case outside the US too? There is a masculine fear of electronic music in the United States, which goes back to the homophobic (and probably racist) disco sucks movement of the late 70s.

 

Anyway, I'm way off topic and apologize for that. I'll split this off.

[MJH]

I know a few guys who like it, but, yeah, my perception has always been that it has an effeminate image. I can't speak for that authoritatively, though, not having any interest in it.

[El-P]

It's all about the image too, of course: techno music is hardly the most masculine first impression.

 

WTF ?

 

Is the techno fear the case outside the US too? There is a masculine fear of electronic music in the United States, which goes back to the homophobic (and probably racist) disco sucks movement of the late 70s.

 

Anyway, I'm way off topic and apologize for that. I'll split this off.

 

Still ? Really ? Seriously ? I wasn't aware of that. I mean, electro is everywhere. Days of Chicago house and Detroit Techno being played mostly in gays (and black) clubs really goes back 30 years ago now. Since the second Summer of Love and the rave craze in the 90's in Europe, the international success of the "French Touch" (idiotic term, but still) in the late 90's, I thought electro was just another genre by this point. Well, ok, it's stll rooted in gay culture somewhat, I mean, the last really famous electro club in Paris was the Pulp, which was a lesbian club, but still. David Guetta is mainstream (for better of for worse. Ok, for worse). Daft Punk are mainstream.

[El-P]

When Al Snow was using Prodigy back in 98 in ECW, it totally fit his insane character too.

[Ready_Willing_Gable]

Not that I like it as a song, but I'm really appreciative of Blake & Murphy's music for their act, that crazy lighting will give people seizures though....probably also a good thing for the characters.

I am basically sick to the teeth of unimaginative rock dirges on Raw though. Orton probably merits a rock song but it's just a godawful pick. Ambrose again probably wants a rock track but just generic after the first couple seconds. Cesaro, boy a guitar and a drum really helped him ey.

With the right gimmick and entrance, any genre can work and I'd love for that to be played with a lot more often.

I really don't think wrestling still has to give off "we're a masculine product for masculine people' impression anymore, as a female fan I'd like to think we're beyond that, and it just looks stranger and stranger probably the further away you get from the United States

[Matt D]

Not that I like it as a song, but I'm really appreciative of Blake & Murphy's music for their act, that crazy lighting will give people seizures though....probably also a good thing for the characters

 

It sure makes them more punchable.

[Loss]

I don't mean to say there are no straight fans. Just that it's a big part of why it has never caught on here like in other countries.

[El-P]

It's all about the image too, of course: techno music is hardly the most masculine first impression.

 

Not to sound like a dick (pun intended), but as opposed to what ? Judas Priest ? Hell, classic heavy metal's imagery is gay as shit, and there's a reason why. Demolition was such a gay gimmick, it's not even funny.

[JerryvonKramer]

Anything to get away from the nu-metal which plagued wrestling for at least a decade is good in my book.

[MJH]

I've no idea as to the whys... Plant and Page were as androgynous as you were likely to get away with at that time and Zeppelin's music isn't seen as effeminate.

 

I might be wrong on the techno thing, it's not something I've ever taken the slightest interest in, but my perception has always been that it's not the kind of music most devoutly-masculine fellas would have blasting out of their cars...

[Dooley]

 

But then, if everyone altered their entrance, then things like the New Day wouldn't stand out as being so entertaining and unique when they actually switch things up. Can't have it both ways. You've got to set the rules before you can have the exception.

 

I hate this logic. It feels like it's from the same people who trumpet "if everybody's special, than nobody is special", which is also BS.

[Ready_Willing_Gable]

Anything to get away from the nu-metal which plagued wrestling for at least a decade is good in my book.

 

the two reworks of Austin's theme....EWWWIE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

but my perception has always been that it's not the kind of music most devoutly-masculine fellas would have blasting out of their cars...

 

I don't think this means jack shit today. Ultra masc-guys have a much more negative perception today than a decade or so ago, and most wrestling fans don't exude masculinity from every pore, certainly not me, and I get that we're watching fighters fighting but I think things are balanced enough now that rock shouldn't be the be-all-and-end-all for male wrestlers, possibly shouldn't even be the norm. It's actually a great way to establish immediate character so a guy's not stood there being Mark Jindrak.

[NotJayTabb]

Strangely, for all the talk of it not being a masculine form of music, in my experience cars that are pumping out booming techno are generally driven by #LADs, who gather in groups in the car park of my local supermarket and would probably hit me with an empty WKD Blue bottle for wearing a Smiths t-shirt.